Letters From Hawaii
Cast:
Cure Dream, Yumehara Nozomi - age 20
Cure Mint, Akimoto Komachi - age 22
Cure Aqua, Minazuki Karen - age 22
Milky Rose, Mimino Kurumi - age 21
Coco, Yumehara Kouji - age 27
Kobayashi Sunao - Kurumi's boyfriend - age 25
Akimoto Almond - Komachi's son - age 6 months
July, 2013
"Oh, what's this?"
Komachi has gone out to get the mail, with her son strapped into an infant carrier on her back. She collects, sorts, and then discards nearly all of it. From what she kept, the first that she opens is sealed with a blue rose sticker and addressed from Hawaii.
The boy babbles nonsense.
"That's right, Almond. Mommy got a letter from a dear friend."
She opens the envelope and begins to read.
"Dear Komachi, since we both know that you are incorrigible, I fully expect that the contents of this letter will become content for yet another of your novels. It is my wish that you will write it as a Cold War spy thriller, which I know you will respect because I know many secrets."
Komachi giggles. "Oh, Kurumi, you only had to ask!"
School is out for summer. Kurumi has chosen not to take summer classes, and she has also chosen to remain in Hawaii. There are reasons for this, and those are mostly beaches. Beaches and sun, beaches and swimming, beaches and parties, beaches and athletic, half-naked eye candy.
Kurumi is a good girl. Kurumi is a healthy young woman.
On this morning in late June, Kurumi has situated herself on a relatively uncrowded beach. A stand of large rocks and a half-mile of sand separate her from the nearest amenities, and she has laid down on her beach towel with suntan lotion, a bottle of distilled water, and a romance novel. She has nothing else that she needs to do.
She has just turned herself over to tan her back when she catches sight of something more interesting than her romance novel: A tall, handsome man, very muscular. Where most people would be simply enjoying the beach, he has is carrying around a camera and a spiral notebook, scrawling notes and taking photographs. The intention behind his actions is not obvious, but when he sees Kurumi watching her, he stops for a moment and flexes.
She licks her lips. Then she gets up and goes to start a conversation.
"So she asked him out basically at first sight, and it sounds like they really hit it off," Nozomi says, looking over the letter as she relaxes in her husband's arms. "His name is Kobayashi Sunao. Kurumi says that he's an oceanographer at Tokyo University, in addition to being totally ripped."
"Ripped?"
"Her words, not mine. Personally, I thought she had better taste. Remember how she used to compete with me over you?"
"I'd rather not. She's a blood relative."
"A fourth cousin! That doesn't count."
"I'm counting it," Coco insists. "Is there more to that letter?"
The time has come when Sunao must return to Japan. Kurumi goes to see him off at the airport.
"I will miss you," he tells her. "It has only been a few weeks, but I feel that I've known you for a long time."
"I'll write letters every day," she promises. "Make sure that you read them!"
The era when a couple could share a kiss just before one of them boards a plane has long since ended, but they do kiss. For an indefinite period they lock lips, enthralled in a world for only two.
That moment ends. He passes through the security gate and is gone.
"So, what happened after that?" Karen asks, speaking to Kurumi over the phone.
"I've been writing letters, and he occasionally replies. He actually sent me a love poem!"
"So, when's the wedding?"
"Like, after he proposes?" Kurumi snorts. "There's an order to these things, you know. Whirlwind romance or no, you can't expect the guy to make with the ring that fast! It takes time, and money... and being in the same place..."
"You've got it bad, don't you? What happened to saying 'a diamond is a girl's best friend?'"
"Did I say that?"
"A few times, yes."
"That doesn't sound like me. Why would I need another best friend, when I've already got you?"